Wales' deaf team visits Swansea City AFC Foundation's Premier League Kicks pan-disability session
Swansea City AFC Foundation’s Premier League Kicks pan-disability participants recently welcomed players from the Wales’ deaf football squad to their weekly session ahead of this summer's European Deaf Championships.
Sam Evans, Matthew Powe, Adam Llewellyn and Craig Williams from the Wales squad joined the weekly session at Pure Football where they answered questions from the young participants to talk about their experiences.
The players will fly out to Turkey this summer for their Euro finals, where the unbeaten recently-formed Wales Deaf side will face off against the best in Europe for the first time.
Defender Evans is excited about the coming months, and relished the opportunity to offer advice and inspire the attendees.
“I’ve really enjoyed telling the children about my experience because they can learn that you can achieve things, whether you have a disability or not,” said Evans.
“You can achieve what you want out of life with sport, there are no limits.
“It’s been very interesting to understand what they are thinking when they see us, they see role models and they see us as professional athletes, and it’s just great to be a role model to someone and to be someone they look up to.”
Powe is a forward for Wales and he hopes reaching a major finals will just provide more encouragement for those with disaibilities who want to get involved in sport.
“It’s never too late to realise your dreams, I’m over 40 and I’m going to be playing in my first deaf football competition," he said.
“Whether you are young, old, if you have a disability, it is never too late and there are opportunities.”
Lloyd Thomas, Swansea City AFC Foundation’s learning disability manager, leads the Foundation’s pan-disability sessions, and thanked the players for coming to share their stories and spend time with the participants.
“It was brilliant to have them join us, it’s great for our participants to have role models who have achieved so much,” said Thomas.
“They all have such inspiring stories, and for our young participants to hear that and hear just how much they can achieve is really positive for them and their development.”